How often do you actually think about Christmas and think the coming of the messiah? To be honest I don't. I think of what I want, and Iphone, Lucky Brand Abbey Road Messenger Bag, The complete 6th Season of Supernatural, and red fingernail polish. Yeah, that's what I think about. When in reality I shouldn't. Now, that I'm in college I'm realizing that I cannot afford to buy lavish gifts for everyone around me. In a world where all we do is spend money on things we don't need. For instance:

Tyler Durden: Do you know what a duvet is?
Narrator: It's a comforter...
Tyler Durden: It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then?
Narrator: ...Consumers?
Tyler Durden: Right. We are consumers. We're the bi-products of a lifestyle obsession.

AN affective way of  finding alternative gifts besides buying materialistic things, is by donating to the heifer project in somebody's name. http://www.heifer.org/

Or donate to Alternative gifts.  http://www.altgifts.org/  Either way it's affective and really kind hearted. :)

My dad is a social worker so i will hear him rambling about a case that has been bothering him. Today, he spoke about a child that he had in his counselling group years ago. The boy would come in with scratches on him, bruises, and cuts. One day he came in with an iron burn. Although my dad called child protective services, nothing really was done.  Dad assigned him a case manager, and the visits were not how they were supposed to be. Learning about this made me angry, mainly because it is not a "police manner." This is crap, to be frank.

I am disgusted with people who are abusive. It hurts me for them, because i wonder what happened to them that made them this way. Some people are just ill. I think as Americans everyone should have the right to mental healthcare. I also think as a Christian, I am called to help others who are in an abusive situation. It's not right, fair, or healthy. No one should go through something so traumatic. But, sadly this happens everyday around the world. We are put on this earth to help each other not to hurt each other. I hope that someday the world will change for the better.

As a social work major I hope I can change the world, one person at a time. For those of you  who have gone through difficult situations this is a bible verse that helps me get through my toughest days. "⁴And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

I hope that my hometown can become a better place for all children.

So recently I've been feeling down in the relationship section of my life. I know to wait, but still after falling in love with someone you kinda want that feeling again and SOON!  But, in my discovery of the man I needed versus the man I wanted my Dad gave me some great advice. I can date who ever I want, but to remember that I need to wait patiently on the man meant for me.

Here, here! It's gonna be a long wait... but he gave me some advice from youth camp leaders.

From Helene and Carleigh, Montreat Small Group Leaders: To all the girls who are in a hurry to have a boyfriend or get married, a piece of Biblical advice: " Ruth patiently waited for her mate Boaz." While you are waiting on YOUR Boaz, don't settle for any of his relatives; Broke-az, Po-az, Lyin-az, Cheating-az, Dumb-az, Drunk-az, Cheap-az, Lockedup-az, , Goodfornothing-az, Lazy-az, and especially his third cousin Beatinyo-az. Wait on your Boaz and make sure he respects Yoaz.
 

That made my day. Thanks Dad!